The self-proclaimed staunch supporters of Dr Mahathir deemed that it will be difficult for them to support his soon-to-be-revealed party after he made it clear that he will be in cahoots with PH, especially DAP.

“I’m sorry Tun (Dr Mahathir), not going to support you if there’s DAP, PKR and Amanah,” wrote Facebooker Razak.

“You should’ve just form a new party with Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Datuk Seri Shafie Apdal and Datuk Mukhriz,” he added.

Another Facebooker, Pacai Bin Ramli, pointed out that it will be difficult for the Malays to accept Dr Mahathir’s party now that he had form an alliance with DAP.

“The reality is that, with DAP in the picture, rural Malays will probably never support Tun’s party,” he wrote.

Some were of the opinion that Dr Mahathir would stand a better chance in winning against BN without allying itself with Pakatan Harapan.

“If this is the case then it looks like BN will win the next general election,” wrote Haz Mohaz, “It’s not that I don’t want to support Tun but I just don’t want DAP to win.”

“Tun, why must you form a coalition with DAP, PKR and Amanah?” wrote Edie Yus.

“What we have been waiting and hoping for is for you to form a new party to fight with BN and frankly that is the only thing we want…not this,” he added.

“Tun, I beg of you…please retire from politics. I can understand your anger towards Najib (Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak) but I cannot accept you being in the same bed with DAP,” wrote Ejump Jamalluddin.

The buzz due to yesterday’s political development was not confined to Facebook. The blogosphere was also equally choked with discussions over the matter.

Prominent blogger Zakir Mohamad who blogs at ‘Big Dog’, even went as far as describing Dr Mahathir as “obsessed” and “power crazy” adding that it is sinful for him to manipulate the emotion of the people.

However, Zakir was confident that such a “political antic” would eventually fail because what drives Dr Mahathir and the other opposition leaders to band together has nothing to do with the betterment of the people or the country.

“They are just interested to get power,” he wrote.

“This lot in the past have been proven to fail so many times. Barisan Alternatif, Barisan Rakyat, Pakatan Rakyat and more recently Pakatan Harapan, all failed.

“Even when they got their formula right like in Selangor, they did not use the mandate they got to bring the state into a better position,” he wrote.

“YB Rahman Dahlan (BN strategic communication director) is spot on when he says that most people are not really surprised with Dr Mahathir’s announcement on his new Opposition pact made up of not-so-new faces (mostly former Umno).

“My first thought, upon learning of the Pakatan Tun: wouldn’t Anwar Ibrahim rather die than allow the Tun to rob him of his de facto leadership of the Opposition pact that he had built from his blood, sweat and tears since 1998?

“Because I don’t see Mahathir being willing to kowtow to Anwar just so he can bring down Najib Razak and his government and party and the BN coalition!” he wrote.

Interestingly, blogger Helen Ang pointed out that it was ironic and “hilarious that the Chinese DAP are voting to resurrect Mahathirism.”

“Yesterday’s development is a coming together of mismatched revenge seekers out to wreak vengeance. It is a fellowship bound by hate.

“Chinese DAP used to hate Tun with passion but they’re presently willing to overlook any misgiving because their hatred for Umno is even more intense,” she wrote.

But those who supported Dr Mahahtir’s decision claimed that such a coalition, regardless how motley some claimed it may be, was timely needed in order to face BN in the upcoming general election.

“Those who disagree needs to wake up because a multiracial component parties are needed in order to effectively form a government,” wrote Thong Jai Yeong.

“Umno forms a pact with MCA and MIC but did any MCA leaders became the Prime Minister? Please understand that Tun needs the support from all races in order to oust Najib,” wrote Abdul Karim.

About the author

Zaidi Azmi

Despite becoming The MOLE's journalist in 2014, he still has a hard time traversing the city. If he is not lost, this northern kampung boy can be found struggling to make some sense out of the Malaysian political sphere.